Vibration dampened engine mounted radiator assembly

ABSTRACT

An engine mounted, vibration dampened radiator, to dampen vibrations from an engine to the radiator are disclosed. The radiator core is contained within a shell having two opposed longitudinal members and two opposed transverse members to form a coolant jacket. The vehicle radiator has a support bracket assembly, equipped with a longitudinal member having a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width of to accommodate at least one side of a vehicle radiator assembly, and a bracket member attached at one end to the longitudinal member and adapted to overfit internal coolant tubes in the radiator. The bracket has a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width. The bracket is equipped with at least one aperture along the width complementary to at least one coolant tube to permit insertion of the bracket over the coolant tube such that the tube extends through said aperture.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Radiator assemblies for internal combustion engines are subjected to vibrational forces during operation of the engine. Oftentimes, the radiator is mounted to a static frame structure that is fixed in place, and connected to the engine by conduits that accommodate the circulation of coolant from the engine to the radiator and back again.

Due to ever increasing governmental mileage requirements and consumer demand, vehicles are constantly redesigned to provide increased mileage per gallon of fuel consumed. One way this may be accomplished is to eliminate structure, and hence weight, of the vehicle so that the vehicle is lighter and therefore may travel further on a gallon of fuel.

Recently, vehicles have been designed wherein the radiator is mounted directly to the engine, thereby eliminating the structural components in the vehicle compartment which used to be where the radiator is mounted. However, there have been issues with engine vibrations being transmitted to the radiator, resulting in less than optimal radiator service life.

There is a need for an engine mounted, vibration dampened radiator assembly that provides optimal radiator service life and does not adversely impact vehicle weight and vehicle mileage goals.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, there is disclosed a radiator support bracket assembly for use with engine mounted radiators. The support bracket assembly may include a longitudinal member having a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width; said length and width of sufficient dimension to accommodate at least one side of a radiator assembly. The longitudinal member may include a mounting structure such as clamps or fittings or screws to attach to a vehicle engine compartment structural member to provide additional stability for dampening the vibrations caused during engine operation. A transverse bracket member may be provided which is adapted to overfit internal coolant tubes in the radiator. The bracket may be of a material that is compatible with radiator coolant and radiator tubes. The bracket has a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width and is equipped with at least one aperture along the width located complementary to at least one radiator tube to permit insertion of the transverse bracket over the radiator tube such that the tube extends through the aperture. The transverse bracket is affixed at its first end to the longitudinal member.

The transverse bracket member may be of any material compatible with engine coolant and the material of the radiator tubes. In one application the material of choice may be brass, but in other application, aluminum, composite material and plastics may be sued.

In another embodiment, there is disclosed an engine mounted, vibration dampened radiator structure. The vibration dampened radiator structure may include vehicle radiator having a core with coolant tubes, said core contained within a shell. The shell has two opposed longitudinal members and two opposed transverse members. each of the longitudinal members and transverse members has a length and a width sufficient to accommodate the radiator core and form a coolant jacket. One transverse member equipped with an aperture to permit addition of coolant to the coolant jacket and said other transverse member quipped with an aperture to accommodate a return conduit to accommodate circulation of coolant within the radiator of the engine. The assembly includes a vehicle radiator support bracket assembly equipped with a longitudinal member having a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width; each of the length and width of sufficient dimension to accommodate at least one side of a vehicle radiator assembly. The support bracket assembly includes a bracket member adapted to overfit internal coolant tubes in the vehicle radiator. The bracket is made of a material compatible with radiator coolant and said radiator tubes. The bracket has a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width, and equipped with at least one aperture along the width located complementary to at least one radiator tube to permit insertion of the bracket over the radiator tube such that the tube extends through the aperture. The bracket is affixed at said first end to the longitudinal member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a vehicle engine having a vibration dampened radiator assembly mounted thereto;

FIG. 2 is an exploded sectional view of one embodiment of the radiator bracket assembly;

FIG. 3 is a detailed cut away view of the engine radiator assembly depicting the transverse member interaction with radiator tubes in the vehicle radiator core.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now to the drawings wherein like numbers refer to like structures, there is shown an engine mounted radiator configuration that is exemplary and not limiting. Specifically, engine 10 has engine fan 12 and radiator 14 mounted to the engine by braces 16 and 18 as shown. Conduits 20 and 22 are provided to accommodate coolant circulation in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art. The coolant jacket 21 is comprised of longitudinal members 23 and transverse member 25.

Turning to FIG. 2, there is shown an exploded view of one embodiment of the radiator assembly bracket system 24. Specifically, longitudinal member 26 has a body portion 28 having a length “L” terminating in opposing first and second ends 30 and 31.

The longitudinal member may be constructed of a metal or other suitable material and has a planar back 32, supporting two opposed side members 34 and 36, each of which is substantially perpendicular to the back 32. The width of the back member is adapted to accommodate the width of a radiator, and may be of any size. Similarly, the opposed side members are dimensioned so that they accommodate the radiator dimensions to facilitate good fit between the longitudinal member and the radiator shell.

In the embodiment shown, each longitudinal member terminates in a transverse section 34, which in the embodiment depicted, is substantially perpendicular to the length of the opposed side member. There is further provided a support strut 36 that extends from the end 38 of the transverse section to a position 40 along the length of the longitudinal opposed side member to lend structural stiffness to the transverse member and the longitudinal member as a whole.

The bracket member 42 is fixable to the longitudinal member at the transverse ember in any suitable manner. The bracket member has a length and a width with a planar back 48 separating two opposed sides members 50 and 52. As shown in this embodiment, each side member is equipped with apertures 44 which are complementary to apertures 48 on the transverse member. The apertures 44 are shown as oblong, such that the bracket is adjustable in a vertical direction for the length of the oblong apertures to accommodate a more custom fit to the bracket into place in a manner to be hereinafter described. In this manner, the bracket member may be secured in place on the transverse member of the longitudinal member by nut 43 and bolt 41 assemblies, rivets or any other suitable manner to secure the bracket assembly in place on the transverse member once the bracket member is in the proper position relative to the radiator cooling tubes. The bracket member is made of a material that is compatible with the coolant in the radiator and the coolant tube so that galvanic corrosion is substantially reduced or eliminated. Suitable materials may include brass, aluminum, composite materials, plastics or any other material that is compatible with the coolant and the coolant tubes. The planar width surface has at least one, and in some embodiments a plurality of apertures 46 configured to accommodate the shape of the coolant tubes in the radiator core.

The structure as described in one embodiment that is useful to dampen vibration in engine mounted radiators. In one mode of operation, the bracket member is placed over the coolant tubes 54 and positioned along the radiator core 56 to a desired position. The longitudinal member is them placed along the side of the radiator and the bracket assembly is fixed into the desired position as seen in FIG. 3. When the engine is in operation, vibrations from the engine will not be transmitted directly to the radiator core, but rather are dampened by the described assembly, thereby reducing stresses and vibrations to the radiator core, and contributing to optimal service life for the radiator.

The words used herein are understood to be words of description and not words of limitation. While one embodiment has been described, it is apparent that many variations and modifications are possible without departing from the scope and sprit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:
 1. A radiator support bracket assembly, comprising: a longitudinal member having a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width; said length and width of sufficient dimension to accommodate at least one side of a radiator assembly, and; a bracket member adapted to overfit internal coolant tubes in said radiator; said bracket of a material compatible with radiator coolant and said radiator tubes; said bracket having a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width, said bracket equipped with at least one aperture along the width located complementary to at least one said radiator tube to permit insertion of said bracket over said radiator tube such that the tube extends through said aperture; said bracket affixed at said first end to said longitudinal member.
 2. The radiator support bracket assembly of claim 1, further including a plurality of apertures in said bracket member complementary with all the radiator tubes along the length of said bracket member.
 3. The radiator bracket assembly of claim 1, wherein said bracket member is comprised of brass.
 4. The radiator support bracket assembly of claim 1, further including a mounting structure adapted to a vehicle engine compartment structural component.
 5. An engine mounted, vibration dampened radiator structure, comprising: a vehicle radiator having a core with coolant tubes, said core contained with and a shell, said shell having two opposed longitudinal members and two opposed transverse members; each of said longitudinal members and said transverse members having a length and a width sufficient to accommodate said core and form a coolant jacket; one transverse member equipped with an aperture to permit addition of coolant to the coolant jacket and said other transverse member quipped with an aperture to accommodate a return conduit to accommodate circulation of coolant within the radiator and said engine; a vehicle radiator support bracket assembly, said support bracket assembly equipped with a longitudinal member having a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width; said length and width of sufficient dimension to accommodate at least one side of a vehicle radiator assembly, and; a bracket member adapted to overfit internal coolant tubes in said vehicle radiator; said bracket of a material compatible with radiator coolant and said radiator tubes; said bracket having a length with opposing first and second ends, and a width, said bracket equipped with at least one aperture along the width located complementary to at least one said radiator tube to permit insertion of said bracket over said radiator tube such that the tube extends through said aperture; said bracket affixed at said first end to said longitudinal member.
 6. The engine mounted, vibration dampened radiator assembly of claim 5, wherein the vehicle radiator support bracket assembly of claim includes a plurality of apertures in said bracket member complementary with all the radiator tubes along the length of said bracket member.
 7. The engine mounted vibration dampened radiator assembly of claim 5, wherein the vehicle radiator bracket member is comprised of brass.
 8. The engine mounted vibration dampened radiator assembly of claim 5, further including a mounting structure on said longitudinal bracket member adapted mount the radiator structure to a vehicle engine compartment structural component.
 9. The engine mounted vibration dampened assembly of claim 5, wherein said vehicle is a heavy duty vehicle.
 10. The engine mounted vibration dampened assembly of claim 10, wherein said vehicle is an off road construction vehicle.
 11. The engine mounted vibration dampened assembly of claim 10, wherein said vehicle is a class 8 vehicle. 